Suction sweeper



l June 17, 1930. H, B, wHln-E 1,764,666

y SUCTION SWEEPER Filed Der; 21I 1925 2 sheets-sheet l1 lnvenl'or Hor-ry E. Whfe. '9 BX' A@ June 17, 1930. H. B. WHITE I 1,164,666 l sUcTIoN swEEPER v Filed Deo. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I v Fis. 9

lnvenor' Harry BfWhiTe l i parts.

Patented .lune 17, 1930 UNITED STATE-s PATENT o-F'FlcE HARRY B. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, .A

y CORPORATION F OHIO SUCTION This invention relates particularlyto an i improved means for adjusting the nozzle of a suction sweeper by raising or lowering the same with relation to the surface to be operated upon.

l It is common practice in the manufacture 'of sweepers to provide atthe front part of the machine a pair of axially arranged supporting rollers or wheels adjacent the nozzle and to provide one or more supporting wheels positioned toward the rear of the machine.

'.To raise or lower the nozzle with relation to the carpet or object to be cleaned, means are provided to raise or lower the axis of either the front or rear wheels.

An object of this invention is to .provide means of `improved construction for adjusting the axis of one of the supports of the de` vice and which shall be positive in its operation and simple in its construction.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a nozzle adjustment for suction sweepers wherein the mechanical construction of the adjustment is of an improved form; more particularly wherein the construction presents a nozzle adjustment means which may be manufactured as a unit and applied to a sweeper as a complete unit, a construction which will greatly facilitate assembly of complete machines.

Other objects are to 'make the adjusting device quicklyand easily operable to secure the desired adjustment, and to so construct the same that it will be very securely held jin adjusted position kto maintain the nozzle in any position for which it is set in relation to the surface t be cleaned.

The above and other objects will become apparent from the following description ytaken in .connection withV the accompanying drawings, in the -diferent iigures of which the same reference numerals indicate like In 'the drawings-'z Figure 1 is aside elevation of 'af suction sweeper showing the application of the invention;

Fig. l through the. adjusting mechanismv proper partially in elevation;

2 is anv enlarged,v sectional viewk swEErER 21, 1925. semi Na. 16,659.

3 Fig. 3 is a section through Fig. 2 on line Fig. 4 is a rear elevation'of the adjustment;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a suction sweeper showing Vthe application of a further form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper end of the adjusting mechanism shown in Fig. 5;

' Fig. 7 is a ldetailed view of the bracket employed in connection with the structure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a section through Fig. 6 on line 8-8; and

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view shown in Fig. 1. Y

Designating the parts by reference characters, 10 indicates a motor housing, 11 a of the machine charge nozzle. The above elements are essential parts of practically all suction sweepers manufactured. The fan chamber 11, intakeinozzle 12, and discharge 13 are usually cast as an integral unit or so connected together as to form a rigid frame which is su ported adjacent the intake nozzle by axiall) separated wheels 14 suitably onnected to the cleaner frame through stu s 15 shown in Fig. 9pl Rearwardly of thewheels 14V and preferably positioned between the paths o f the wheels 14, are a pair of axially separated wheels 16. To raise and lower the intake nozzle with relation to the surface to be operated upon, means are provided for vertically adjusting the axis of the rear wheels 16`wit respect to the cleaner frame, the lwheels 14 accordingly serving as a fulcrum.

My 'nvention is concerned with a novel mechanismfor raising and lowering the rear portion of the frame of the cleaner and with' means for securing the adjusting mechanism securely in Ldjusted position.

The preferred form of structure for accomplishing the obj ect of my invention will nowl be described. The rear vportion of the frame of the cleaner is supported on wheels 16' which are 'secured beneath the discharge 13 by 4means of a bracket 17 which ils secured to the under side of the discharge by screws 18 (Fig. 5). The lower end of bracket 17 carries a pivot 19 on which is mounted link 20 having atits other end means comprising a bearing 2l in which is mounted the L-shaped member 22 constituting the combined rear wheel mounting and adjusting member. The upper end of L-shaped member 22 is threaded to serve apurpose later described. A portion of the top surface of bracket 17 at the rearward portion as at 23 is milled out to provide a place for mounting an L-shaped standard 24, this being made of fiat material as distinguished from the former member indicated by numeral 22 which is a member circular in cross section. Secured to the upper end of L-shaped standard 24 by'means of a rivet 25 and, forming in eiect a continuation thereof, is a third L-shaped member 26, the rivets not being driven up tight so that member 26 may rotate on rivet 25. The upper horizontal portion of.member 26 is formed with an opening 27 in Nwhich ish mounted the adjusting nut indicated generally at 28, which co-operates with the upper threaded end of the L-shaped member 22.

Adjusting nut 28 comprises two major portions 29 and 30 respectively; 29 being the inner threaded portion which co-operates with the threaded end of member 22, while the portion 30 provides a convenient means for rotating member 29 and also performs the function of a lock. As is clearly shown in Fig. 3, member 29 is externally octagonal in shape and is near its lower end rounded to a diameter slightly smaller than the external dimensions of the octagon and is provided with a groove, the turned portion being indicated at 50 and the groove at 31.

The upper-portion of member 30 is counterbored as at 32 and 33, counterbore 33 providing space for inserting a spring in the assembly and counterbore 32 providing means for the placing of a closure cap.

In assembling the adjusting nut on member 26, the lower reduced end of octagonal member 2 9 is inserted through the opening 27, and

a spring lock washer 34 is snapped into the groove 31. Member 29 is thus held in member 26 by the co-operation ofthe shoulder formed at the upper part of turned portion 50 resting on the upper side of 26, while spring washer 34 on the under side holds the mem- `ber in position. The-locking nut 30 is then slipped down over the'upper portion of nut- 29 and a spring 35 is inserted in the counterbore 33 between the outer surface of nut 29 andthe inner surface of the counterbore 33.

'A spring ring 36 is then snapped into `a groove formed 1n the upper portion of nut 29 where it is held by its own resiliency and thu-s the two parts 29 and 30 are locked together by the spring 35 which acts upon the ring 36 and the bottom of counterbore 33 with a possible rel. atively longitudinal range o motion. A

closure cap 37 may be inserted in counterbore 32 for closing the upper portion so that dirt may not enter.

In the structure so far described, upon turning member 30 the inner member 29 will be rotated due to the co-operating octagonal faces of the two members and rotation of member 29 will, because of its threaded engagement with the upper end of member 22, cause the rear wheels 16 mounted thereon to be moved upward or downward with res ect to the cleaner frame, depending upon t e direction of rotation of member 30.

0n the outer edge ofthe horizontal portion of member 26, there is provided a struck-up portion such as 38 which, in co-operation with notches 39 in member 30 will positively lock the nut in adjusted position. By the provision of the spring connection between members 29 and 30, it is only necessary to slightly raise member 30 so that the struck-up portion 38 disengages the notches 39 and then member 30 may be freely rotated.

The construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive is substantially similar to that just previously described, excepting that bracket 17 and link 20 are each made of a stamping,

'the bracket 17 having formedas an integral part thereof the' miember 24, which in the previous instance was ormed'as a Separate part. There is a further difference in the two constructions in that the adjusting` member 22 extends through'and above the adjusting'nut and has a fiat 40 formed thereon on which are placed indicating numerals 41to indicate the adjustment under any particular circumstances.

It will be seen that with either of the structures described and illustrated, the enti-re adj usting mechanism may be i assembled as a unit and as such applied to a sweeper s'o that the application of the adjustment entails only the attachment of the bracket to the sweeper i fjrame, that is, in this instance there are four screws to be entered through the bracket member and screwed into appropriately lio positioned threaded openings formed in the sweeper frame.

j usting nut rotatably mounted relative to said base element comprising an inner and an outer portion in non-rotatable but slidable relation to each other, a latching device arranged to lock said outer portion in fixed relation with respect to said base element, supportingmeans tor said base -element movably connected thereto, a connecting member between said supporting means and said adjusting nut in screw threaded relation with said nut, and yielding means interposed between said inner and said outer portion of said adjusting nut arranged to react against-relative lengthwise ias movement therebetween and accordingly hold said latching device in engagement.

2. In a castor-adjusting device, the combination with aframe structure, of albracket 5 fixed to said frame structure, a supporting element for said bracket-and frame structure, means pivotally connecting said supporting element to said bracket, a, standard fixed to said bracket and frame structure, a connect- 10 ing member between said supporting element and said standard, an adjusting nut'on said connecting member for longitudinal adjustment thereof comprising an inner portion in screw threaded relation with saidl connect- 15 ing member andv an outer portion with a notch in the rim thereof non-rotatably and slidably mounted on said inner portion, a projection on said standard arranged to engage said outer portion of said adjusting nut 20 in said notch, 'and a spring functioning to maintain the engagement of said projection in said notch.

Si ed at North Canton, in the county of Star and State of Ohio, this 15 day of De- 25 cember, A. DL1925.

HARRY `B. WHITE.` IL. e] 

